updated 12:27 pm EDT, Fri November 1, 2013

Observers had thought Nexus 4 would see refresh

Google's Nexus 4 handset is no longer available for sale from the Google Play Store, signaling that the older Nexus device may well have been retired. Following the debut of the Nexus 5, last year's Nexus handset vanished, even though observers had believed that Google would refresh the smartphone and offer both the Nexus 4 and 5 side by side as mid-tier and higher-end models. The Nexus 4 may still be available at third-party retailers.

Prior to the device's removal from the Play Store, industry observers pointed to the apparent appearance of the Nexus 4 in Bluetooth certification documents. The device shown off in those documents looked to be a Nexus 4 device with LTE connectivity built in, leading many to think that Google would refresh the device with Android 4.4 KitKat and the LTE feature that was missing from the its first iteration.

The Nexus 4 debuted to brisk sales last year, as tech lovers eagerly snapped up the high-end device with a low unlocked price. Those specs, while no longer cutting edge, make the Nexus 4 more than a match for most mid-range devices currently on the market, and many had presumed that Google would keep the device in circulation, in a sense following after Apple's tradition of moving last year's model to the mid-range tier.

Owners of the Nexus 4 will be able to enjoy the latest Android update, though. Google confirmed on Thursday that Android 4.4 KitKat would be coming to the Nexus 4, as well as the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. Those devices will see the update "in the coming weeks."